1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of decorative accessories used in conjunction with cell phone protector cases to make the case more attractive and pleasing to the owner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The following eight patents and published patent applications are relevant to the present invention:    1. U.S. Pat. No. 6,910,718 issued to Nick Chareas et al. on Jun. 28, 2005 for “Writing Pad For Cellphone” (hereafter the “Chareas Patent”);    2. United States Published Patent Application No. 2006/0023872 to Richard Chang on Feb. 2, 2006 for “Portable Electronic Device Customization Kit” (hereafter the “Chang Published Patent Application”);    3. United States Published Patent Application No. 2006/0040081 to Jerry Grant Hodsdon et al. on Feb. 23, 2006 for “Apparatus, System, And Method For Personalizing A Portable Electronic Device” (hereafter the “Hodson Published Patent Application”);    4. United States Published Patent Application No. 2006/0188668 to Sol Wahba on Aug. 24, 2006 for “Decorative Attachment For Personal Property” (hereafter the “Wahba Published Patent Application”);    5. U.S. Pat. No. 7,206,618 issued to Antonio T. Latto et al. on Apr. 17, 2007 for “Removable Customizable Inserts And Faceplate For Electronic Devices” (hereafter the “Latto Patent”);    6. U.S. Pat. No. 8,110,268 issued to Darrin G. Gegemier on Feb. 7, 2012 for “Adhesive Cover For Consumer Devices” (hereafter the “Hegemier Patent”);    7. U.S. Pat. No. 8,261,195 issued to Doyle Buehler et al. on Sep. 4, 2012 for “Method For Customizing A Cover For Electronic Device” (hereafter the “Buehler Patent”);    8. Chinese Patent No. CN2629358Y issued to Wang Kaiyi on Jul. 28, 2004 for “Cultural Mobile Phone” (hereafter the “Kaiyi Chinese Patent”).
The Chareas Patent discloses a writing pad for cell phones. Specifically, the patent discloses:                “A writing pad attachment for a cellular phone or other handheld electronic device, having a housing, an adjustable writing surface, a marking pad and a writing implement. The housing is releasably attached to the back of a cellular phone. The adjustable writing surface is located inside of the housing and is slidably adjusted to a locked position outside of the housing to provide a sturdy writing surface. Alternatively, the adjustable writing surface may be released from the housing and placed in a more convenient location. The adjustable writing surface is either a tray or a flat slate. The housing may be detached from the back of the cellular phone to provide a more convenient writing surface for the user. The writing pad attachment also provides a locking mechanism for securing the adjustable writing surface in a desired position.”        
In this case, the concept is to have an external support tray mechanism 10 which is affixed to the back of the cell phone protector case and has an entrance where a person can slidably remove a pad on which to write. It does not discuss the concept of painting but it does discuss the concept of having a marking method but it is different from the present invention in that it is really not integrated into the cell phone protector case and it is primarily put on the back of a flip phone and further is designed more for writing messages or information rather than a painting, sketch or drawing.
The Chang Published Patent Application discloses a portable electronic device customization kit. Specifically, the patent application discloses:                “A kit for personalizing a portable electronic device and for protecting it from scratches. This kit comprises several decal sheets each one comprising in a sandwich, a) a decorative layer, having a top side and a bottom side, the top side displaying decorative or artistic patterns, and the bottom side coated with a strong adhesive; b) a waxy layer applied to the bottom side of the decorative layer and covering the strong adhesive. Each decal sheet is cut to fit an area of the electronic device such as not to cover the electronic device's functional parts. Just prior application of decal sheets to the electronic device the waxy layer is removed from the decal sheets.”        
In this case, the concept is to make a decal sheet which is affixed to the cell phone protector ease, the decal having various ornamentation on it.
The Hodson Published Patent Application discloses the concept of having a printable decorative sheet which has a preprinted decoration on it and it is affixed by adhesive to the back of the cell phone protector case.
Specifically, the patent application discloses:                “The user can purchase a printable sheet, select a desired pattern, print the desired pattern onto the face layer of the printable sheet, peel the label portion or portions from the printable sheet, remove the cover or covers from the desired device, place the labels between the cover and the device, and re-secure the cover to the device. When the user decides to change the desired pattern, the user can print another desired pattern onto the face lay of a printable sheet and repeat the process. The user can print the desired pattern in various ways, including by hand, via a computer printer, etc. The printable sheet can also be preprinted with a pattern by the manufacturer. The invention may be used with various types of print media that may be used for the printable sheet. One type of print media may be a spot metallic print media that has a printable coating that becomes transparent when printed with inkjet inks.”        
The Wahba Published Patent Application discloses a decorative attachment to a cell phone protector case. In this case, the decorative attachment is attached by various attaching means. It is primarily a multiplicity of dots that have various configurations on it.
The Latto Patent discloses a removable customizable insert and faceplate for electronic devices. Specifically, the patent discloses:                “A method and apparatus is disclosed for the customization of electronic equipment of which portable audio players, portable disc players, portable digital games and laptop computers are representative. The electronic equipment may be fitted with a substantially transparent faceplate that may cover removable inserts. These inserts may be customizable to provide unique decorative appearances to the electronic equipment upon which they may be fitted. Decorative designs may either be preprinted on the inserts or a user may produce a customized design.”        
Claim 1 of this patent reads as follows:                “An electronic device comprising: a base having a first surface; a substantially transparent removable faceplate coupled to the base and covering substantially all of the first surface; and a replaceable ornamental insert positionable between the removable faceplate and the first surface of the base such that a portion of the ornamental insert is viewable through the substantially transparent section, said ornamental insert punched out of a sheet of paper after a user of the electronic device has printed an ornamental design thereon.”        
The key limitation in this claim is that the ornamental insert which is inserted into the cell phone is punched out of a sheet of paper after a user of the electronic device has printed an ornamental design thereon.
The Hegemier Patent discloses an adhesive cover for consumer devices. It discloses:                “A personalized adhesive cover for a consumer device includes multiple layers. In one implementation, an adhesive cover includes a top laminate layer adhered to a base layer that is adhered to a bottom adhesive layer. The base layer is treated to facilitate acceptance of a personalized design applied to the middle layer. The adhesive cover is contoured to partially or completely cover one or more sides of a consumer device. The cover can include one or more separate pieces, apertures and cutouts, for example, so that the cover does not interfere with the functions of a device.”        
The patent effectively discloses the concept of having any type of design. Specifically, Column 4 Line 55 to the bottom states:                “As described with reference to FIG. 2, in accordance with various embodiments of the present inventions, adhesive covers may be customized or personalized by including one or more designs. As used herein, the term “design” refers to colors, text, names, company brands, slogans, images, patterns, designs, graphics, photographs, logos, advertisements, or any combination thereof. Designs may be provided by a customer or person who wishes to customize an electronic device or may be provided by a manufacturer of the adhesive cover or other entity. Any suitable method of transferring designs to the adhesive cover may be employed, e.g. printing, screen printing, silk screening, flocking, chemically burning, etc.”        
The key here is that the cover is adhered to the cell phone protector case as an adhesive cover for covering a surface of a device.
The Buehler Patent discloses a method for customizing a cover for an electronic device. It discloses:                “A method and system for customizing a cover for an electronic device is provided. A plurality of templates associated with a plurality of electronic devices are provided. A client may select a template. The client may create and edit images on the template associated with a model of an electronic device. The method including printing or manufacturing the customized cover using the template.”        
Claim 1 of the Buehler Patent reads as follows:                “A method of customizing a cover for a surface of a mobile electronic device, the mobile electronic device having a display screen, the method to occur post manufacturing of the mobile electronic device, the method comprising: at a server, providing an interactive web-based customization tool to a client through a network, the interactive web-based customization tool configured to allow a user at the client to: display a template associated with a user selected mobile electronic device selected by the user from a plurality of different mobile electronic devices, the template corresponding to dimensions of the surface of the user selected mobile electronic device and including one or more than one section, each section defining an opening of the cover or a transparent part of the cover; and create an image on the template based on a user-provided photographic image, user-provided image positioning and user-provided image sizing to produce a customized cover, and printing or manufacturing the customized cover post manufacturing by a party other than the manufacturer of the mobile electronic device, such that the image does not cover the opening of the cover or the transparent part of the cover.”        
The Kaiyi Chinese Patent discloses:                “The utility model discloses a cultural mobile phone consisting of a mobile phone cover (1), painting and calligraphy (2) and a mobile phone body (3). The mobile phone cover (1) consists of an upper layer and a lower layer, the lower layer consists of the functional elements, the upper layer is made of transparent material, and the inner surface of the upper layer of the mobile phone has painting and calligraphy (2). Being provided with painting and calligraphy, the cultural grade is enhanced, which endows the mobile phone with appreciation, commemoration and collecting value, and further illustrating the individualization characteristics of the mobile phone.        This utility model involves having the mobile phone of covers, especially involve one in culture mobile phone with work of calligraphy and painting in the cover.        The cover of the existing mobile phone generally only protects the display screen and makes the key set not touched etc. and act on by foreign object, ornamental individualization is not strong. This utility model offers a kind of improved culture mobile phone, the cover of this kind of culture mobile phone is except that function of keeping the existing mobile phone cover, also have value of art appreciation and commemorate, collect the meaning, make the mobile phone become a kind of individualized work of art.The stated improved culture mobile phone of this utility model is and adhere to a upper strata of cover by the organism 3 of the mobile phone, cover 1 the works 2 of external calligraphy and painting make up. The cover 1 of the mobile phone is formed by two stories, the lower floor is made up of functional assembly of the mobile phone, the upper strata are made of apparent material, make works of calligraphy and painting on the interior surface of the apparent material directly, it can be handwritten hand drawing, also can print, and the computer makes etc. Upper and lower connections of layer can make into connecting removably, can't also join.”        
In this ease, the decorative design is directly on the cell phone.
There is a significant need for an improved method to decorate a cell phone protector case with interchangeable artwork created by the cell phone case owner.